Let's Celebrate Ashton!

It's time to CELEBRATE This Week with Ruth Ayres from Discover. Play. Build.  Every week Ruth invites us to share our celebrations from the week and link up at her blog. What a fun way to reflect on everything there is to be thankful for. 

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This week I'm celebrating Ashton!

*throws confetti*

Some people don't see the value in Twitter, can't figure out what to tweet about, or who to follow. There isn't really an exact science but knowing why you are there - what you want to learn - is the key. Know your why, do a search, find people, see who they follow, keep looking for interesting people who feed your why. When it comes to tweeting out, post little snippets of your life, share your knowledge, expertise, or questions about your passions. 

Initially, I followed Ashton Kutcher when he was racing Ted Turner to be the first to one million Twitter followers. Then I read The Book Whisperer and discovered Donalyn Miller on Twitter. From connecting with her, I found a support system I can't imagine being without, passionate educators who share great ideas, ask thoughtful questions, and celebrate the ups and downs of their lives. Most of all, I'm connected to people I'm excited to learn from. 

This morning I Skyped with teachers from my school district who are taking a technology course. I shared my story and how they might think about their whys to help them ease into Twitter.

To prep, I grabbed images from Twitter, my blog, and my website to show how following Ashton Kutcher led to so much more. I pulled up my Twitter page and my mind started to reel. I joined Twitter in February of 2009 (Ashton joined in January of 2009). That's almost SIX years ago. Six years ago, I wasn't on Twitter and I wasn't blogging here yet. I had a 20-month-old Peanut...but my life is different and busy in a mind-boggling, surreal, absolutely amazing way. And that's something to celebrate.

Just for fun, I went through pictures from a few years ago when Little Bean was about one and a half and found this adorableness:

And here are a few from last weekend when we went to Dave and Buster's:

 

Look how they've changed! I'm watching these two kiddos grow up but by telling my story here and on Twitter, I'm reflecting upon and celebrating how I'm growing as well. 

At the very beginning, I wasn't entirely sure of my why...but now it's clear. Whether I'm on Twitter, blogging, or writing, I hope to share my story - my rollercoaster of a life - and how I strive to stay in the growth mindset no matter what I encounter. I'm passionate about connecting people and ideas and authentic learning experiences and so thankful I get to pursue this everyday and just maybe encourage others to follow their dreams, to be lifelong learners, and to be their best selves.

What are you celebrating this week?

What is your why? What is your true passion?

What Twitter tips or tricks might you share?